Eternally Grateful
by Selene Melia
Summary: Sharaman's thoughts as he's burning from the poisoned robe.


My Kiera died six years after our second son was born.

It was an unusually cold day, especially in the desert, three days before the winter solstice. I was having our annual meeting with the council when I received the news.

My wife had been killed by Hassansins.

And I broke down, started to cry right there in the middle of the throne room, in front of all the Elders and council members.

Unlike other kings and princes, I had loved my wife. I had even gotten the chance to choose her, unlike my brother, who believed marriage was only for political gain. I remember his first words after I had told him I had fallen in love with Princess Kiera, daughter of the Arabian king, Salemus.

He told me I was being foolish; love didn't exist.

I vowed from that day forth I would somehow prove him wrong. Love DID exist, and I had fallen under its spell.

An incantation performed my the beautiful princess herself.

My Kiera was perfect in every way, though she often told me I thought too highly of her. She was intelligent, graceful, daring. She was witty and cunning, often outsmarting me and most of the council. She knew what to say, when to say it, and how to say it exactly the right way. She treated me as a equal, not a prince or future king, but as a man. She held respect for me, something I never truly had for myself. She was the perfect princess, and eventually the perfect mother, giving me my two boys.

She was everything I could have dreamed of, and more.

It was three days before I stopped crying, three days before anyone would approach me, before even my sons, Tus and Garsiv, even came to the same room as me. And, even after years had passed, the topic of their mother's death rarely came up. Though it saddened me that I did not have the strength to talk to my sons of their mother, I did not try. I knew I would end up sobbing on the floor again.

After my crying was through, I felt anger.

Intense anger, a feeling I had never once felt before in my life.

And I would never feel again, even after all of my long years.

I felt anger toward the men who had killed my wife. The Hassansin, who were currently under my employ. The thing that kills me the most, second only to the pain of losing the love of my life, was the fact that she had greatly disapproved of them. She told me they only bring death and destruction, and, even though I did not see it, they were killing people every day without my knowledge. She told me of the strange rituals the servants had seen them perform in the darkness they requested from me.

I had told her not to believe everything she heard.

My heart filled with anger when I eventually found out who was responsible for killing her. Anger because she had been right. Anger at myself for not seeing it in time. But most of all, anger for the people who committed the crime.

I had the Hassansin disbanded, not wanting to stoop to their level and kill.

The day after I had them out of my kingdom, I found the boy, Dastan, in the streets of Nasaf. I saw in him the courage I wished I had possessed when Kiera was alive. I saw what I wished I could be, brave and bold, standing up for what is right.

That day, I took the boy in, and made him my son.

Now, dying of poisoning by Dastan's hand, I think how I much I would have changed in my life.

I would have stopped the invasion of this holy city. I would have disbanded the Hassansin long before they took my wife's life. I would have told her how much I loved her while she was still alive. I would have tried to be a better father to my sons. I would have been easier on Tus, and harder on Garsiv.

But, I would still have adopted Dastan.

Despite the fact that he's killing me, burning me from the inside out, he has taught me a great deal about myself. He taught me how to trust, how to help those less fortunate then myself, how to love again.

But the most important thing he taught me was how much I truly loved Kiera.

And for that I am eternally grateful.

* * *

Not so good, right? I just saw the movie for the 3rd time and I was thinking of how little Sharaman is in it. I figured this would cover it. Hoped you enjoyed readingit more then I enjoyed posting it. PLEASE REVIEW and check out my other one-shot, Maid Turned Princess. Its been up for days and I haven't gotten a single review yet...

~Sel Mel


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